New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-04
CLEVELAND AND REFORM.
HOW CIVIL SERVICE HAS BEEN HANDLED.
ADDRESS BY GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS TO THE
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM LEAGUE-Acrs OF Of

NEWPORT, Aug 3.-The annual meetihS VI uio Wv
tonaI Civil Service Reform League was held at 1880
a m today I'm the Claiming Memorial Church, which
was well filled Many ladies present to near the
address by George william Curtis president OF the
League with which the meeting opened Mr.. Gurus SAID
In part
nomination OF the President who Is identined IN the
e,ond question that il the President should formally
renounce reform principles that he has declared and
ponnce that the general political reconstruction OF the
Cv service which regret TO say has taken place nnaer
upon part in of the spoil: system he Sould be
abandoned by so large body Of citizens as TO BRING MS
These are nnmstaKabe signs of rapid growth Of
a public sentiment friendly to reform But there is
another which ia very significant To learn the actual
condition and tendency OF the country, We 'nust NOT
marty success but TO the orators upon occasions
when they put aside the partisan for tine patriot ana
sneak as citizens nxious to discern the actual
situaton willing recognize dangers and TO discover
remedies The most striking disoonrses OF this Kind
during the present summer by men eminent In public
affairs but of scholarly interests and training have
described In glowing words the conspicuous materatsm
of our National prosperity and have pointed OUT as inc
most threatening OF National pcrs the corruption npoi
itics which such materallsm inevitably generates ,,
Service reform is the perception that ement based
s spdgn not oto favor selfish opportunity begins
the cure Of political corruption by Withdrawing from IL
pon the progress of reform National service the
special committee of the League made s report at the
emu " -, some earnest friends of reform that before
close OF the Administration completes partisan caange
the failure OF the Administration In TINS respec. woia
affect the value and i 81 e Ss
II is now possible. think. to judge correctly the
course of the Administration In regard to reform ana
regret to say during the two years and i've months
M s xistence while reform law has been respected
within its limited range. and while there are unqueston-
able and OF saS sI hee S
been a very significant change IN the Civil service In
some of the departments at WASHINGTON ths Is Tess
apparent than elsewhere But In survey OF inc wnoie
service has been almost as complete change AS
since an s%re oce S S regular
transaction OF the public 5usIne's. , .,u.,ao.,o.
A few figures will illustrate the scope aud significance
the changes The number Of employees OF the Govern
of al kinds contained IN the Official register Is
incnded I'm the classified service. which covers about
5'65O places In the departments In Washington, and
1909 I'm the postal and customs service elsewhere as
tribited among twenty-eisht postoiiccs and eleven
custom houses Outside the classified service all the
minor places hed the pleasure of certain superior
Officers mainly pOsmasters. collectors OF customs and
internal revenue, surveyors and other port oilcers,
mafshs neys and land officers These are
the effective agents when the service is made poi.cs
machine, and upon them very rye propor.on OF ,lo
swccp therefore. the change OF acertan number ana
class Of officers only Is necessary me nuihDc, o. s
and many Others is about $4,000 OF these chei oceTs
and the change in Offices implies change also In
all places dependent upon sse IN The posto"es Of
every kind have two statements, both OF which
asnpe 10 be authentic one OF them states the whole
number Of changes about $1,000 the other about
az 600 whether however. the larger or the small Ter
number accurate 1t the same rate OF change TOT
the next two years the entire body woud
be with very few exceptions politically changed and
with the postnastcrs all the employees dependent upon
Practically, repeat there has been very general
rec OF the SnHmSt IS desire and
expectation Of large and important part OF the sup
iS.t il %as desired or anticipated By intelligent
sentiment Of the country. II the persistent pressure VI
had been tolerated beyond that equitable division be-
tween parties which, although wholly indefensi6lc upon
centea az pcruissble compromise under very difficult
circumstances the reform system would have been SO
of second term OF the Administration which had esab-
i-hed 1t succeeding party or President "ouiu poo
Mat mi s be possible President who profoundly
o. the s sir See3 P PEEL % the
laws. to risk the rupture 81 MS party tne
non OF bad faith and himself "a the independent
patriotic support OF the country will not now discuss
But will say that do not doubt that Dis action Wouu
be most beneficial the country that IL would be most
nnd himself very much stronger Tor every o'her soou
very important incident since our last meeting was
the suspension OF Messrs Benton and stone respectively
disregard Presidents circular OF the l4th OF July
1886 warning ofcehoders TO avou op,usnS pa d,,
ton of party The suspension was followed by
between these officers ana the fresuen
aud BY the restoration OF Mr. Benton Democrat ana
the removal Of Mr. stone. Republican, As the fresi-
| Understood
nsiia.bie But in the CORES pondence distinction was
made by him between the impropriety oil parclpauoh
their election n public speeches, which seems ~ DO
unlenabe. Tie rue vrw upon I'll. subject was adinr
ably expressed the Presidents letter To the League
| when ho said OF such employees the quiet ana nh0n
trusye exercise OF their individual political rights Is the
| reasonable mea ure of their party service
To what appontlve officers such restriction should
apply will not now inquire nor enter INTO Tue CONSIDER
alton OF the point at which the line should be drawn be-
tween political officers and those whom the Constitution
desgnates as Inferior officers The Presidents circular
aulord afpsi
oice-holders under the General Government put its
er. o. beses Mr. and Mr. stone who
disregard OF the circular have taken part In ne map
Iation OF party primary meetings and nominating con
ventions rs well az of party action none so
far aware. has beeI removed Inc circular, as
ami order 1t il dead letter Very recently u mas
been os;enatiousy and fagranty dohed In Baltimore
an should defiance pass unremarked, the circular
may be regarded as Withdrawn ,.,- III,
The more clearly Is seen that Existing parties arc c %
| mandns Will be the public sentiment which VIII re-
adjust old parties or organize new ohes Asr .no p
IA that the shall be honestly administered
In this public sentiment is our nope aud our strength
Thaf cause is always safe which Is in sympathy with
great moral forces, with the common SENSE ano ntel
gence the people. with the earnest h ana patroue
purpose OF youth with the lessons OF experience and
WITH the convictions Of wise and pure statesmen; ana
| know In this country OF which this may DO
more truly said than OF Civil Service REFORM
| A business meeting was held and George william
Curtis was unanimously elected president Reports
from forty various associations made Sherman s.
Rogers reported for the Buffalo association member
ship OF 300 Mr.. Gregory reported for Wisconsin There
are two associations in Milwaukee and the other In
Ml.ison. Both arc in excellent condition. Mr.. Hitch
cock reported that the st. Louis association has 800
members Mr.. Montgomery, OF Pennsylvania, reported
satisfactory year for his association. lie detailed the
contro sersy with Postmaster OF Philadelphia over
the examinations for office.
b. Earon inquired II there was proof that out
of 1874 appointments in the postolce of Philadelphia
1872 were Democrats.
Mr.. Montgomery replied that a canvass made by the
| association showed that this true
Mr. Grover. OF Chicago, reported that his association
was reduced 200 members but In an active con-
| diton.
| Mr. Bonapare, OF Baltimore, called upon to tell
about Higgins. He said that he had heard II
suggested that President Cleveland desired the reform
system to have an awful example, and that he had